Hi! I’m JAM! I’m a fellow CLE blogger and I write about all things positive in our great land of CLE!! A big thank you to Clue Into Cleveland for allowing me to guest post here!

Fun CLE fact: Did you know that CLE boasts nearly 22,000 acres of green space? WOW!! Much of that is thanks to the Cleveland Metroparks (aka The Valley for west siders).  As a mid-size metropolis, CLE offers tons of great outdoor parks, beaches and green spaces to enjoy throughout all four seasons. Find out more about the outdoor spaces CLE offers on Positively Cleveland.

Whether you’re in the mood for hiking, biking, kayaking or sunning (some of my personal faves) there are plenty of fabulous parks and green spaces to access in our city and surrounding areas.

Most recently, I’ve been going to Rocky River Park—which offers public access to Lake Erie, fantastic vantage points and a bit of peace and quiet, in comparison to other public CLE beaches and parks. I’d recommend a nice cup of coffee and heading down there on a Sunday morning to take in the tranquility and beautiful scenery from the bench swings by the water.

JAMmom enjoying her morning coffee on the waterfront bench swings at Rocky River Park.

View from the bench swings

Or you can head up the stairs to take in some views from the west bluff in the park:

How about this for a view?!

Atop the bluff, you not only get these gorgeous views, but there is also a grassy area for picnics and grilling out. Yum!

The pretty backdrop and less populated beach also serve as one of CLE’s favorite spots for family, engagement and wedding photo sessions.

Frame-worthy photos for the family!

So whether you’re looking for a green space to escape the hustle and bustle, a fun picnic in the park with the kids, a serene spot to drink your coffee and read the newspaper, or just want to dip your toes in the water—I highly recommend this little nook to take in the natural beauty in CLE.

Looking for other green places and spaces to visit in CLE? Check out some of my nature-loving posts like:

•  “Capturing the Cleveland Sunset” post at Gordon Park where other CLE bloggers suggested to check out Rocky River Park too
•  “Valley Memories” at Rocky River Metropark
• CLE’s nature/animal lovers’ paradise:“Earthfest at the Zoo” at Cleveland Metropark Zoo
•  “Bloom Lagoon” at Wade Lagoon!

Or

• Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s parks and green space in the downtown area
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Cleveland Metroparks

What’s your favorite urban oasis in CLE? Do you have a favorite green space to take in a great sunrise or sunset in CLE? Share your positive thoughts!

The Pub in Rocky River at 19304 Detroit Road - LuvThePub.com

 If you consider yourself a fan of Epicurean pursuits, Cleveland is home to an almost endless array of restaurants and bars that could whet any appetite.     

With some restaurants, though, it’s not just the culinary fare, but also the environment that makes a dining experience memorable.  The Pub in Rocky River is the perfect example of this — marrying a fine selection of food and spirits within an authentic British Pub setting.    

The front marquee on Detroit advertises upcoming events and shows

The first time I walked into The Pub, the theme of ‘British Pub’ definitely came through.  The Pub manages to achieve British kitsch without overdoing it. From the Union Jack painted across the ceiling of the bar, to the red telephone box and various other British memorabilia and signage, there’s just enough to reflect English pub while still remaining tasteful.  And with a wide selection of seating options – including deep-seating lounge chairs, couches, and a ‘King’s Table’ that looks to be straight out of a courtly dining room, The Pub is the perfect place for a family dinner, casual round of drinks, office party or even a wedding rehersal dinner.    

Of course, if The Pub only offered atmosphere, I wouldn’t have returned time after time. The menu is classified as ‘gastropub.’ In addition to traditionl pub fare (which is executed brilliantly with a couple of twists), The Pub also features dishes that go beyond ‘pub grub.’ My favorites include a monstrous serving of fish and chips (which you can get discounted on Quiz Nights); the classic bangers and mash; a shepherd’s pie of ground beef, lamb, chive whipped potatoes and a smattering of parmesan bread crumbs; a tasty assortment of dips including crab or goat cheese; and a delicious reuben pizza which was on last Monday’s specials menu.     

To accompany the food is a vast selection of spirits. In addition to their bourbon and scotch menus, wines, and other liquors, The Pub’s Beverage Bible sports three pages of beers. It includes English draught and cask conditioned beers, Scottish, Irish and domestic selections.  While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every pint I’ve been served at The Pub, my Beverage Bible favorites are Old Speckled Hen and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.     

The Pub's Passport Program for the truly dedicated beer lover

The people at The Pub are such fans of beer that they offer a Pub Beer Passport Program through which you can receive a custom passport book with spots for 55 beers. Upon ordering and drinking each one, The Pub will stamp that page of your passport. By consuming all 55 beers, the ‘World Traveler’ earns $4 pints for life. Consumption of the 55 beers and getting stamps from all currently open Pub locations upgrades you to ‘Premier Pub Traveler’ status and $3.50 pints for life.    

In addition to providing a hearty selection of food and drink, The Pub at Rocky River provides a social gathering place for locals and visitors alike. From their weekly Pub Quiz on Monday nights, to sporting and music events, to beer or wine tastings, there are multiple reasons to stop by besides grabbing dinner. This Wednesday (March 31) The Pub plays host to a beer and wine throwdown between Goose Island and Gallo’s. And on April 3rd, The Pub will be open for the Manchester United vs Chelsea match. Then, of course, there is the 2010 World Cup this summer which should provide many excuses to stop by The Pub.    

Maple Trivia: It takes 40 Gallons of Sap to Make 1 Gallon of Syrup

 The Cleveland Metroparks – nicknamed the ‘Emerald Necklace’ of Cleveland – are a system of beautiful nature preserves throughout the region.  In addition to giving Clevelanders access to scenic walking, bicycle and horse trails, golf courses, picnic areas and fishing holes, the parks also host numerous events throughout the year for nature education.    

On the Maple Trail

This past weekend, Scott and I joined a couple of friends at the Cleveland Metroparks’ Rocky River Reservation to check out the last weekend of their History of Maple Sugaring tour. Each year, from the end of February until the beginning of March, the temperatures in the Northeast Ohio region are the perfect condition to produce sap. For just a couple of weeks, the temperatures are above freezing in the daytime and below freezing at night which triggers the circulation of the sap throughout the trees’ sapwood. And with the trees’ production of sap comes the production of some of the purest maple syrup.  

Our group stopped by the Maple Grove Picnic Area in the Rocky River Reservation to check out the sap-to-syrup process. The first stop on the tour was the Sugarbush Trail during which our tour guide demonstrated the sap-collecting methods from early Native Americans and pioneers to modern sugar farmers. Each stop showed the progression from reeds and bark to wooden buckets, metal containers and finally the plastic tubing that is used today. At the end of the hike, we visited the Sugar House where we got to watch sap that had been collected from the area’s trees boiled into pure maple syrup.  

The highlight of the entire visit, however, was the opportunity to chat with Bill Miller — or as he jokingly referred to himself, ‘S.O.B.’ (Sweet Ol’ Bill). At 79 (though he didn’t look it!), Bill is an expert at the intricate process of boiling the sap into syrup. When the tour ended we hung around to look at the evaporator used to boil the sap. Bill walked up, introduced himself, and we spent the next 40 minutes learning everything we wanted to about maple syrup — from the role of photosynthesis in producing the sap to what causes the different grades of maple syrup. Chatting with Bill wasn’t just educational, but also entertaining — a definite don’t miss.  

One Way to Collect Sap from a Maple Tree

To cap it all off, we ended our visit with a sampling of the syrup that was extracted and made in the park. Volunteers served silver dollar pancakes with a dollop of the local syrup and sold delicious maple candy for a quarter a piece.  

As with a number of the Metroparks’ events, the entire tour was free — providing a great afternoon of engaging and educational storytelling for nothing.  

Unfortunately, this weekend was the final weekend of the Metroparks’ Maple Sugaring for the year. With the first signs of Spring appearing and temperatures (slowly) rising, the maple trees have stopped readily producing sap — which means it’s time for the Sugar House to pack up until next Winter when Maple Season resumes.  

Cleveland Metroparks 411:    

Plan Your Visit to the Metroparks’ Rocky River Reservation
About the Reservation
Reservation Map
Directions  

Events and Volunteering at the Metroparks
About the Maple Sugaring Demonstration
Upcoming Events Calendar
Getting Involved at the Metroparks   

Twitter: @CleveMetroparks